Community Matters at First Financial Bank

We care deeply for our communities and our family is committed to making a difference. Whether through service or investment, First Financial believes in contributing to the success and future of communities we serve. Thank you for allowing us to be a part your community and sharing in our efforts to make every day better.

Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games

First Financial Corporation is a long-time supporter of the Special Olympics Indiana Summer Games and our employees are a big part of that tradition. Every year since 1970, First Financial associates, family members and friends have given their time to welcome the athletes, coaches and supporters from every corner of the state to the three-day event. During the traditional Parade of Athletes on opening night, First volunteers escort the Special Olympics delegations into Hulman Center on the Indiana State University campus for an evening of celebration and the ceremonial lighting of the “Flame of Hope.”

This year, nearly 3,000 Special Olympians gathered in Terre Haute for the competition, which not only showcases their athletic abilities, but also promotes the ideals of acceptance and inclusion through sports. Special Olympics Indiana provides year-round sports training and athletic competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities at no cost to them. This photo taken outside our Main Office Banking Center includes some of the many First associates who volunteered to serve at the 2018 games.

11,630

2018 Community ServiceHours to Date1

1,163

Community Service Hours Completed by First Team Members Each Month in 2017

13,956

Community Service Hours Completed by First Team Members in 2017

235

Local Agencies Served in 2017

$70,000

2017 Total Corporate Contribution to
United Way's Across Our Service Areas

Community Sponsorship and Support

United Way of the Wabash Valley“Stuff the Bus” School Supplies Drive

The United Way of the Wabash Valley holds a “Stuff the Bus” school supply donation drive every year to help area families who are struggling with back-to-school costs. The organization partners with the Vigo County School Corporation, Clay Community Schools, Southwest School Corporation in Sullivan County and the South Vermillion School Corporation to make sure kids who come to school without basic supplies get the items they need for success in the classroom.

For more than 30 years, First Financial Bank associates have volunteered their time over Labor Day weekend to host “beano” (Italian bingo) at the Little Italy Festival. Beano benefits the Vermillion County Chamber of Commerce and this year’s games raised about $6,000, which the Chamber uses to support local business and community events.

While the Little Italy Festival welcomes everyone as an “honorary Italian,” the event pays tribute to Clinton’s early settlers, many of whom were immigrants from northern Italy. Some 60,000 to 80,000 visitors attend the festival every year.

Harmony Park ProjectMcLean County, Illinois

The Harmony Park Project is a partnership among four non-profit agencies in the Bloomington-Normal area to build the community’s first fully inclusive playground. Not only will the new playground provide disabled children with safe, accessible equipment, but it will also be set up to allow parents with disabilities to maneuver, monitor and play with their children.

Bloomington Brickyard Banking Center Manager Nick Lurkins (second from left) recently presented a donation from the bank to Corin Chapman (third from left), one of the project’s organizers. Brickyard associates Taylor Hish, Assisitant Banking Center Manager; Kara Saks, Teller; and Angela Scharfenberg, CSR/Teller, took part in the presentation. In addition to serving kids of all ages and backgrounds, the playground is intended to create acceptance, understanding and harmony by encouraging kids with diverse abilities to play together.